The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, outlined on Thursday (18 April) a Government proposal for a healthcare insurance scheme designed to cover Macao ID holders that have a mainland residence permit entitling them to live in Guangdong Province.
The scheme was aimed at providing basic healthcare protection to Macao ID holders living in the province, helping such people – in particular retirees – to realise more fully the benefits of the regional integration wrought by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area).
Mr Chui gave the information on Thursday as he attended a plenary session at the Legislative Assembly to answer questions raised by Assembly members concerning Government policy and social issues.
The Greater Bay Area is a city cluster formed by nine cities in Guangdong Province – Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing – plus the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and the Macao SAR.
The Macao Government had already engaged in talks with the Guangdong Government on the healthcare insurance scheme idea, stated Mr Chui. A preliminary plan was to launch such a scheme in Zhuhai: the Government would evaluate the results before considering extending it to other Greater Bay Area cities.
According to Mr Chui, there were currently approximately 17,000 to 18,000 Macao ID holders that had registered for a mainland residence permit and were living in one of the nine Guangdong cities covered by the Greater Bay Area initiative.
Mr Chui said the healthcare insurance scheme aimed to offer Macao people a form of backstop access to healthcare services. He added that the Government’s policy of “ageing in place” – in terms of the opportunity for senior citizens to live out their days in Macao – remained unchanged.
The Chief Executive was also asked during the Legislative Assembly session about the potential for a universal medical insurance scheme in Macao. He said the Government had commissioned a study from the Macao University of Science and Technology, to analyse the feasibility of such a policy, and its economic cost. It was anticipated that a report on the topic would be complete in October. The Government would then launch a consultation to solicit public opinion on the matter, said Mr Chui.
During Thursday’s Legislative Assembly session, Mr Chui shared his views on a proposal for selective import to the local labour market of talented individuals. He noted that talent development at local level would be a significant factor in achieving Macao’s sustainable development, adding that the selective import of talented individuals would contribute to local talent development.
Mr Chui further noted that the Talents Development Committee had published a list of 10 professions in five sectors that might be suitable for priority consideration in relation to application for Macao residency. The Committee would conduct a public consultation next month regarding policies proposed in that regard.
Mr Chui said Macao’s existing policies regarding import of skilled professionals put the city at some disadvantage compared to the policies of other Greater Bay Area cities in such matters. The Government might need to revise existing regulations in order to support talent-import practices.
The Chief Executive said the Government and the community should be prepared to attract a greater number of talented individuals from outside Macao to work in the city.
During Thursday’s question-and-answer session, Mr Chui took queries from a total of 30 Legislative Assembly members. Most of the questions related to Macao’s involvement in the Greater Bay Area initiative. Other topics discussed included: development of the traditional Chinese medicine sector; smart city development; accountability of senior Government officials; Guangdong-Macao cooperation; youth affairs; mutual recognition by the mainland and Macao of driving licences issued in either of the two places; urban renewal schemes; and youth affairs.
